Friday, 30 March 2012

We have had a familiar face back relieving at KIDSPACE this week. Jude first joined the KIDSPACE teaching team in March 2004, taking leave to have her daughter Mollie, returning to KIDSPACE, then leaving to have Aimee. The children have quickly warmed to Jude and have been enjoying the music, songs and dramatic play that Jude has been doing with them (yesterday they we going on a bear hunt along the stone path at the back of the hill).

Tuesday, 27 March 2012

On Friday 30th March the Royal Foundation of the Blind is inviting New Zealanders to participate in this years Red Puppy Day. On this day KIDSPACE children will bake puppy shaped biscuits and learn more about the important role guide dogs play in the life of people who are blind. We are also holding a baking stall and would really appreciate any donations of yummy treats that we will sell for a donation, which will go towards the training of guide dogs.

Monday, 19 March 2012

This is Rie, her brother, the Gallaghers and a workmate smiling because they've just completed the Triple Peaks Challenge at Havelock North on Saturday.What a great day!Bodies are a bit sore today though haha.Check out the little green leprechaun at the front.

Thursday, 15 March 2012

Lately I have noticed that Zoe and Lukah are beginning to form a new friendship. When I arrived on Tuesday morning, the girls were building with the blocks together, and I heard some of the conversations they were having. They were talking very nicely to one another, and showed good listening skills.

After morning tea that day, I saw the girls playing at the play dough table. Zoe has made lots of things with playdough before, and she was showing Lukah all the things you can do with dough.

It's nice to see Zoe and Lukah forming a friendship and enjoying interactions with each other.

Josh went fishing with his Dad and Brayden and Oliver on the weekend. This is Josh's description of his fish;

"There was a sharp thing up on hims head and it had a purple tummy and it was too splashy and it had black eyes"

Josh told me that he caught his fish with his fishing rod and the fish was really big. "This big" he demonstrates holding his arms wide. "It was a Rory" (A Parore - Black Snapper).

I asked Josh where he caught his fish and he told me;

"At this one where sand is and I just caught it. It was strong as. There were lots of boats".

Josh's Dad, Andy, showed me a photo on his phone of the fish Josh caught and it was big. Andy said that it was big enough to eat but Josh told him the fish was too splashy and to put it back.

Josh has a real interest in fishing and often looks through the fishing magazines we have at KIDSPACE pointing out the different fish, rods and fish hooks. He is off to try his luck again this weekend at the Fishing and Game Open Day.

Monday, 12 March 2012

Musical chairs has been a popular game for the children lately. This game is fun and provides children with numerous learning experiences. The children learn about spatial awareness and how to control their body so that they don't hurt or bump other children.

We also used our maths skills to count the number of children and number of chairs as we took each chair away.

Some of the younger children understandably had difficulty comprehending that they were out when they had no chair to sit on when the music ended but I overcame this by setting up chairs in a different place so that they could keep going. This worked well.

Today Tamara put together a little guessing game for the children to guess whose baby photo's belonged to who.

It was very interesting to see the children try to guess who each of the baby photos belonged to. Poesy's name came up often, even though there was only one photo of her. However because Poesy is one of our youngest and many of the children have seen her as a small baby they assumed it must be her.

The following is a narration from Lexi as to what she remembered happened earlier today.

"What is that baby"? Tamara asked

"It's Poesy we told her, but it was other children"

"Her (Tamara) write children's names on the piece of paper so we remember names"

"Noah had blonde hair, it's not real hair. We should show Gemma"

"What is that photo of Tamara said lots"

"Paigy, we all knowed it"

This was a great activity for the children to see the differences and similarities between the baby photos and what each of the children look like now. This activity encouraged the children to look closely, to discuss their thoughts with one another, and to have a laugh and fun in a safe environment which fosters their interests and learning.

We did this activity as a part of national "Children's Day" with the theme "Treasure our Children".

Thank you to all of those who brought a picture of your beautiful child.

Wednesday, 7 March 2012

When I was cleaning out Squeesy's hutch, and replenshing his food and water, Ruby and Rionagh came over to help. "Can I pleeease hold squeesy?" asked Ruby. "Of course you can" I replied. "Go and grab a towel from the cupboard and we'll wrap him up in that". Ruby raced off to get a towel and returned ready to hold squeesy. I scouped him up in the towel and sat him comfortably on Ruby's knee. "We need some leaves to feed him!" exclaimed Ruby. "I'll get them, i'll get them" said Rionagh. So she ran off to the garden to find some greenery. Hannah saw what Rionagh was doing and began to help as well. Ruby held squessy with care and concern while the other children carefully held out leaves for him to nibble on.

Max and Jaz also came over to see squeesy and everyone was requesting a hold. Max had a turn holding on to squessy next. Max carefully watched what squessy was doing while the other children continued to feed him. I reminded Max to hold him firmly as he might jump out. The children laughed as they thought he might sneak away!

Rionagh had a turn holding squeesy next, but wanted to sit on my knee while she held him. Rionagh held a leaf right in front of his mouth, and he nibbled away very fast. She though this was so funny, and began telling the others. "He's hungry!!" Rionagh said. "He even bit my finger before!" said Ruby.

I had a lovely little group of children that showed genuine concern for squeesy and for looking after his needs. They knew they needed to hold him gently, and only rub his back, and not near his eyes. They recognised that he was very hungry as he was eating heaps of leaves.

After about 15 minutes he was starting to get restless so we decided to put him back in his hutch. Jaz carefully carried him over and I helped her to place him down in this hay.

Through experiences with animals, children develop empathy, care and concern and learn knowledge about how to care for animals (Te Whariki).

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